


Nine More Lives

by AllonsyMiddleEarth



Category: The Nine Lives of Chloe King
Genre: (Almost) No One Is Straight, Deviates From Canon, F/F, F/M, Found Family, Multi, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-02-24 18:48:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22462789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllonsyMiddleEarth/pseuds/AllonsyMiddleEarth
Summary: NLoCK AU in which there are two Uniters- Chloe, and her long-lost-twin, Ana.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	1. Heartbeats

She should be dead. The constant beeping of the hospital’s heart monitor repeatedly proved to Ana that she currently was very much alive. But she shouldn’t be. 

Two hours ago she had been surrounded by flames. One hour ago there had been burns covering every inch of her body. They shouldn’t be gone, but even without checking under the bandages Ana knew that they were. And Ana couldn’t understand why any of this was happening. She didn’t understand why she was alive, let alone healed, when she definitely shouldn’t be. 

Ana was listening hard to the silence between the sound each beep of the heart monitor, trying not to think about what had happened or why she might have survived, so hard that she almost missed the sound of the door opening.

She jumped up in surprise when someone knocked on the door to her hospital room, and her surprise didn’t lessen when she recognized the person there.

“Clarissa?” 

Clarissa was the leader of the New York Pride, and it wasn't every day you got a visit from a Mai Pride leader. Ana usually only saw Clarissa a few times a year, at most, and it was never one on one. 

It was a bit like getting a sudden visit from the mayor, but Clarissa was much scarier. Ana didn't know of any mayors responsible for single handedly killing at least two dozen Order assassins. 

“I came to make sure you’re safe,” Clarissa told her. “How are you?”    
  
Ana didn’t answer, so Clarissa continued, “I’m sorry for what happened. The fire, your grandparents… no one saw this coming. I’m so sorry for your loss.”    
  
Ana could bring herself to say anything. At first she just watched Clarissa as she chose a chair and sat by Ana’s bed. 

Clarissa was very pretty. She had light blonde hair that was graying slightly and, as it usually was, it was pulled back tightly from her face. But despite her beauty Ana had always found the intensity of Clarissa's gaze somewhat unnerving; her eyes were an unusually light shade of grey and their unusualness wasn’t helped by the fact that she blinked slightly too infrequently. 

Ana tried to close her eyes instead of meeting that gaze now, but when she did she mostly just saw flames, and glimpses of the charred remains of her house they’d pulled her out of a few hours before...   
  
“My grandparents, they’re really gone? You’re sure?” Ana felt tears hot behind her eyes. “I survived that fire somehow, isn’t there any way they could have?”    
  
Clarissa shook her head. “I’m sorry.”    
  
“But then how did I survive?”    
  
“I’m not sure you did, exactly,” Clarissa told her in a low voice, and Ana opened her eyes again to look at her. Though no one else was nearby, she spoke as if what she was saying were a secret. “I think that you did lose your life, but you came back…”

Clarissa trailed off, giving Ana an opportunity to say something, but she didn’t take it. 

“Do you know what that means, Ana?”

Clarissa’s pale grey eyes that had been watching Ana keenly since she’d come into the room grew even more intense now.

“Is there any way I'm not… what I might be? Any chance I just didn't die?” 

“Not from what they told me, no,” Clarissa shook her head. “No one at the hospital can understand what happened. They think it was a miracle. I think it is safe to say that you weren't just lucky.” 

“I guess,” Ana ‘s voice was small. 

“There have been prophecies for thousands of years about a Mai, like you, with more than one life to live. We’ve been waiting a very long time for you, Ana.” 

So that’s why Clarissa was here, to find out if she was really the Uniter. Ana supposed it would be a big deal for Clarissa if Ana were the Chosen One- what leader wouldn’t want the prestige of having the Uniter turn up in their Pride?

“You at least know the prophecy?” 

_ “Nine lives to live, and nine to endure. Nine lives to accomplish much, but each life more complicated than the last and each death more painful than the one before…”  _ Ana recited the prophecy every Mai had heard for thousands of years now, whispered and passed down along with all the other secrets of their long history. “Do you really think that it’s all true?”

“Perhaps not all of it,” Clarissa was reassuring, but Ana suspected she was lying. “It is clear that some of it is true. You came back once, and I sincerely hope you don’t have to do it eight more times, but I think it is clear you’re the Uniter. Do you?”

“I guess,” Ana said, again in a small voice. “That's not all either, though, the not dying. Or coming back or whatever happened. I'm healing fast. Really, really fast. That isn't just normal for Mai, is it?”

Ana peeled back one of the bandages on her arm to show Clarissa that under the bandage her skin was almost entirely back to normal; it didn’t look like she had any reason to need bandages at all. 

Clarissa took Ana’s arm gently in her hand to examine it, pale eyes wide. 

“No,” she said finally, “that isn’t normal, even for us. And we won’t be able to explain this to the doctors. We need to get you out of here as soon as possible.” 

“Yes,” Ana agreed, covering her arm back up with the useless bandage. 

“I can go work on getting you home. They told you that they would put you into human foster care for the time being, right? I don’t think we can let that happen. I can arrange for you to come stay with me instead, if you’d like. You’ll be safe there.”    
  
“Yes, please,” Ana said, relieved. Clarissa may be somewhat unnerving and often terrifying, but she was also kind, and Ana had always liked her. Besides, being with strangers right now sounded unbearable, especially if they were humans who wouldn’t understand what was going on with her. 

Not to mention that it seemed far too dangerous, especially if she was what Clarissa said she was. If the Order found out who and where she was… she wasn’t even sure Clarissa could protect her from that. Humans certainly couldn’t, if they’d even want to.

“Will you be alright here for now if I go talk to some people about getting you out of here?” 

Ana nodded again. 

“I'll be back as soon as possible, I promise,” Clarissa told her.

  
  


*

  
  


Ana entirely lost track of how much time passed between Clarissa leaving and the next time someone opened the door, but she jumped when it opened to reveal Clarissa again, this time accompanied by a nurse. 

“All right,” the nurse said, pausing to look at her chart and then speaking slowly, “Anna-stay-sha, it looks like you’re ready to leave.”    
  
“Ah-na-stah-zee-uh,” Ana corrected automatically. “Or just Ah-na.”    
  
The nurse didn’t correct herself but nodded absently and went to take out Ana’s IV and disconnect her from the machines. At least Ana didn’t have to hear the proof that her heart was still beating anymore. 

“All done.” The nurse helped her up, though she frowned. Ana suspected she shouldn’t be able to stand up this easily, with how badly hurt she’d been when she had been brought in. “Are you sure you’re ready to go home?” 

_ Home.  _

Ana opened her mouth, but she couldn’t manage an answer.

“Yes,” Clarissa answered for her from the doorway. “She’ll be fine with me.”    
  
Ana gave her a small, quick smile.

The car ride back to Clarissa’s was a bit of a blur. Ana didn’t speak at all and Clarissa hardly did either. 

An older Mai Ana recognized as one of Clarissa’s best hunters drove them to Clarissa’s apartment. He didn’t ask them any questions about what had happened. Perhaps he was just polite, but Ana wondered if Clarissa had ordered him not to ask. 

Clarissa’s penthouse apartment took up the entire top floor of a large, high rise complex that she owned. Ana hadn’t been there in years, but it didn’t seem to have changed much. Clarissa’s apartment still seemed to go on forever. Ana idly wondered, as she always had before, if Clarissa ever felt too small for it. She wasn’t sure how many rooms there were in all, but there were at least three sitting rooms and two kitchens. 

The huge apartment had always reminded Ana of 667 Dark Avenue, perhaps too much so in her current circumstances. A fire, new guardians.. . Though luckily she was fairly sure that all the elevators worked fine, and Clarissa was about as unlike Esm é Squalor  as possible. 

“Would you like something to eat?” Clarissa asked gently, interrupting her thoughts. “I’m sure you’d like something more substantial than hospital food.” 

“I didn’t eat at the hospital.”

“Then you definitely should try to eat something now.”

“I can’t, I’m not hungry.” Ana could feel her stomach churning already, she didn’t want to add food to the situation. “I just want to shower and take these bandages off.” 

“If you’re sure,” Clarissa agreed and led her to one of the guest rooms. There were towels, and pajamas that Clarissa must have gotten from somewhere were already in the room. 

“I’ll check on you soon, but I’m right outside if you need me,” Clarissa told her anxiously.

Ana just nodded. Once she was alone it was hard to stop her tears from coming, but at least the hot water mostly washed them away along with the mixture of blood and adhesive left from the bandages. 

After she changed into the pajamas Clarissa had gotten her, Ana found Clarissa waiting for her with a tray of soup and sandwiches.    
  
“Wow, there really isn’t even a scratch on you,” Clarissa said, her unnervingly pale eyes wide again. “It’s remarkable.”    
  
Ana was silent. Clarissa must have realized that she was freaking her out and looked away, offering her the food instead.    
  
Ana sat on the bed, but she couldn’t eat anything. She took a small sip of water. 

“I’m sorry this happened, Ana.” Clarissa said carefully after a while. “Your grandparents were wonderful people. None of you deserved this.”   
  
“I know.” 

“I promise we’re doing everything we can to find out who set the fire. The Order won’t get away with this.”    
  
“But why did they do this?” Ana’s voice broke. “Why now? How did they find out we were Mai, where we lived?”   
  
“I don’t know,” Clarissa closed her eyes. “I wish I did, I promise I’ll do everything in my power to find out.” 

“Do you think they knew I was the Uniter? Before we did? Is this because of me?” 

“Oh, Ana, of course not,” Clarissa told her. “This isn’t your fault. I don’t think it’s possible they could have known who you were.”

Clarissa handed her a tissue, but Ana didn’t bother to dry her eyes. 

“I don’t want to be the Uniter,” Ana whispered, her voice hoarse, her eyes swimming with tears. “I just want my grandparents back.” 

“I know, sweetie,” Clarissa pulled her into a hug, letting Ana cry against her shoulder until she finally managed to fall into a fitful sleep. 


	2. Chapter 2

Ana slept terribly, but just well enough to wake up completely disoriented. When she remembered where she was and what had happened she wished she hadn’t woken up at all. 

But the sun was already streaming brightly through the sheer curtains in her bedroom and Ana could hear voices from the kitchen, so she decided she might as well get up. She’d have to face the rest of the world eventually. 

It seemed wrong, that anything was still happening at all, that life was just continuing, that the sun had the nerve to rise like today was just any normal day when clearly, it wasn’t. Her grandparents has died last night. Her whole family was gone now, and not only was Ana alone but Ana was apparently supposed to be some heroic Chosen One that half the Mai in the world probably still thought was a myth. 

Absolutely everything had changed. How could the world just continue as if it were another day, as if the world didn’t even understand that it could never be the same again?

Ana tried to get dressed, before she remembered she didn’t have any clothes now apart from the pajamas she’d worn to bed. She attempted to brush her teeth instead, but got too distracted by her reflection- her skin was perfectly normal, not even the tiniest hint remained of yesterday’s burns. 

Luckily before too long she was distracted by a soft knock on the door, giving her an excuse to tear herself away from her reflection. Ana wondered if someone had heard her moving around, or if Clarissa had been checking on her periodically while she slept.

“Morning,” Clarissa said softly to her when she opened the door.

Ana was glad she hadn’t tried to say the morning was “good.”    
  
“Peyton and her mother are here, they arrived first thing.” Ana felt some relief at that. Peyton had been her best friend since they were in kindergarten. If seeing anyone could make her feel better right now, it would be Peyton.   
  
“Some of your grandparents’ friends are here too,” Clarissa continued. “They’d like to see you, but only if you’re up for it. You don’t have to be.” 

“Oh,” Ana frowned. “I guess I am, I should see them.” 

“You don’t need to worry about what you ‘should’ do yet, Ana. Everyone just wants whatever is best for you right now.”    
  
“No, I… I want to see them.”

“All right,” Clarissa agreed. “Peyton brought over some clothes for you, would you like me to send her back and then you can change?”    
  
“Okay.” 

“And if I send her back with breakfast too, do you promise to try to eat something?”    
  
“I promise to try,” Ana gave her a very small smile. 

“Good,” Clarissa made to leave, and was halfway down the hall before Ana realized something.

“Wait!”    


Clarissa came back. “Yes?”    
  
“Do they know? Does everyone know I died?” Ana asked in a hushed voice. “What I am?”

“I think it’s more of a ‘who’ you are, Ana, not a ‘what,’” Clarissa said gently. “I haven’t told anyone that you are the Uniter. All I’ve said is that you survived the fire. But I can’t promise that no one is coming to their own conclusions.”    
  
“Do you think I should tell them?”    
  
“That is entirely up to you.” 

Ana immediately decided not to tell anyone what, or who, she was, at least not yet. But Peyton didn’t really let her get far with that plan because, of course, it was almost the first thing she asked when she saw Ana, bursting into the room with a tray of food and a large paper bag full of clothes hardly a minute after Clarissa had left. She sat down on the end of the bed with Ana, letting the bag fall to the floor and placing the tray in front of her.   
  
“Ana! I’m so sorry, are you okay?” she asked as she sat down, then, without waiting for Ana’s answer to her first question, she asked in a more hushed voice, “is it true what everyone is saying?”

“What are they saying?” Ana was halfway to picking up a piece of toast before she remembered how not hungry she was and pushed the tray away instead. 

“Uhm just,” now Peyton seemed unsure what to say, “well the hunters Clarissa sent to your house last night… she sent a lot, it’s just been so long since there was a murde-, um, incident like this, everyone wanted to check it out and find out why the Order was so bold. Well, Kellie’s mom was one of them, and they said they couldn’t understand how anyone could have survived that fire, and since Clarissa herself took you in so fast, there are rumors...”    
  
Ana groaned internally. Kellie was another Mai her and Peyton’s age, and the worst secret keeper Ana had ever met. If her mother had told her anything, Kellie had surely already told all the Mai their age. 

“I don’t know if Clarissa wants me to talk about it,” Ana lied, and felt instantly horrible about it. She never lied to Peyton. Well, almost never. Apart from the fact that she was Mai, a secret she shared with most of her friends, she’d only ever had to keep one secret about herself her entire life. But she’d never been the Uniter before either. Maybe she’d have to get used to keeping secrets.

“Right, that makes sense,” Peyton looked at her seriously and nodded. “Well, you were born in Ukraine, if the Uniter prophecies are right that’s where they always said the Uniter would be born, so I guess we always knew it was a possibility. Do you think the rest of the prophecies are true too? You died once and came back, right? Do you really think you’ll have to do it nine times?”

_ Yes. But god I hope not.  _ Ana suddenly wished Clarissa hadn’t sent Peyton back at all. 

“Did you bring clothes?” she asked, to try to change the subject, and luckily Peyton seemed to go along with it. 

“Oh, yes!” Peyton picked up the paper bag and started laying the contents out on the other side of the bed than the one they were sitting on. “I brought stuff I think will fit you. Some of it you lent me, so I know it’ll fit you-”    
  
“Hey, I’ve been looking for this! I had no idea you had it!” Ana interrupted and reached for a brown sweater of hers. 

“Sorry,” Peyton said sheepishly. “It’s yours again now. I just brought enough for a few days, Clarissa told my mom that they’ll try to see what they can recover from your house today or tomorrow…” 

She trailed off as Ana shuddered a little at the mention of the house. She was glad Clarissa had people doing all that for her, though, she’d prefer to lose everything she had ever owned rather than ever have to go back and relive the fire, her grandparents’ deaths, her own...

After Ana dressed Peyton made her sit down and attempt the food she’d failed at eating earlier. She had promised Clarissa she’d try, but Ana didn’t think that food had ever been less appealing. Her stomach was in knots already; everything felt wrong, how could she eat anything? 

Peyton kept up useless chatter about school and friends and gossip to try to distract Ana enough that she’d eat. 

It worked well enough for half a banana and about a third of the plate of toast and eggs Clarissa had made her before Ana had to tell Peyton not to bother, she was done.

They went out to the kitchen where Clarissa, Peyton’s mom, her sister, and some of Ana’s grandparents’ friends were sitting around the kitchen table chatting, drinking tea, and picking at various dishes of food different people had brought. 

Everyone stopped talking immediately when Ana entered the room. 

“Oh, Ana, it’s so good to see you,” one of her grandmother’s friends exclaimed tearfully, jumping up and hugging her, catching her off guard. 

The others all greeted her similarly, except for Peyton’s little sister Paige, who hugged Ana awkwardly but didn’t seem to know what to say to her at all. 

When everyone was done hugging her, Ana sat down, making sure she was had Peyton on one side of her and Clarissa on the other. Someone got her a cup of tea. She took it just to have something to do instead of having to talk.

It was nice, that there was this room full of people who cared about her enough to be here for her right now. It was also nice that they mostly didn’t know that Ana was the Uniter yet. Whatever they may suspect, they didn’t know. All the same, Ana still felt very alone and she quickly wished that she were by herself again and not around any people at all. 

*

By early evening everyone but Peyton, who Clarissa had invited to stay for dinner, had left. The hunters Clarissa had sent to recover anything salvageable that they could from Ana’s house dropped off some boxes for her, after a dinner of stew that Ana had actually managed to eat a whole bowl of. 

The hunters said that half of the top floor of the house had collapsed and most furniture was broken, but some things were salvageable. The biggest relief to Ana was that the collection of her mother’s diaries that her grandmother had passed down to her had made it relatively unharmed. There was ash on the outside of some of the covers and they smelled strongly of smoke, but each journal was legible, and that was what mattered to Ana. 

Ana’s mother had died when Ana was too young to remember her. On Ana’s thirteenth birthday, her grandmother had handed the diaries down to her. They were a collection chronicling most of her mother’s young adult years. Most contained stories Ana had always wished she could have heard from her mother in person: how her parents met, when they got married, when Ana and her twin sister, Emiliya, had been born. Then there were the later journals, which were less happy, describing when her sister had gone missing just after she and Ana had turned one, and the subsequent time that their parents had spent combing the country to find out what had happened to her. They’d never found her, and the journals ended there. Ana’s parents had died in the search for Emiliya, when the Order found them.

Clarissa and Peyton gave her space to go through her things, and Ana spent most of the time re-reading the journals for the thousandth time. The journals were all written in Ukranian. Ana’s grandparents had spoken Ukranian often enough at home that Ana was almost fluent, but reading it was harder for her than listening to it. Her grandmother had translated enough for her in the past that Ana mostly remembered what they said, even if she forgot the odd word or sentence here and there. The journals didn’t really make her feel better, mostly reminding her of all the old tragedies in her families’ past in addition to the new ones. But it was something to do, and at the very least it always made Ana feel closer to her mother.

Despite the difficulty reading in a few places, Ana had never been more glad than she was now that the journals were in a foreign language almost no one here outside her family spoke. Everything may have changed in the last day of her life, but there were still secrets in the journals about who her parents were that Ana had been forbidden from ever telling anyone; not even Peyton, and especially not Clarissa.    


Even knowing that she was the Uniter, knowing more than ever that Clarissa was supposed to protect her, Ana wondered many times over the next few days if she should consider telling Clarissa her family’s secrets. But she couldn’t bring herself to. With all the danger in her life already, she didn’t feel any need to add more to it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really thought posting the first chapter when I have a lot of later ones already written would motivate me to finish the rest of the earlier ones more quickly. But with 6 months between chapters one and two, apparently it did not! Oh well. I have to start writing faster because at this rate I'll finish the story in 2045, maybe.


End file.
